Opening of the first Vietnamese Goods Week in the Greater East region of France

Photo caption — Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang, along with provincial and local leaders and guests, cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Vietnamese Goods Week at Carefour Verdun. Photo: Ngoc Hiep, VNA correspondent in France

This is the first time a Vietnamese trade and cultural promotion event has been held in an area quite far from the capital, all the way to the countryside bordering the border, opening a new door for Vietnamese goods to access a market of more than 5.5 million people, while also connecting directly with economic centers bordering Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.

The event was hosted by the Vietnam Trade Office in France, in coordination with T&T Foods and the Carrefour system, with the participation of many local leaders and French businesses, including Mr. Samuel Hazard - Mayor of Verdun, Mr. Jérôme Dumont - Chairman of the Meuse Provincial Council, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the management board of Carrefour supermarket in Verdun.

Mr. Jérôme Dumont - President of the Meuse Provincial Council - excitedly affirmed that the province always welcomes investors and economic development projects from Vietnam. Meuse is an attractive land where businesses in all fields can develop. The great advantage of Meuse is its location at the crossroads of Europe, close to major markets such as Belgium and Germany, which helps create conditions for introducing, selling and producing Vietnamese products right in Meuse. French consumers today are looking for new products, different from what they are familiar with, so through activities like this, Vietnam can promote its products throughout Europe.

Attending the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang emphasized that the Vietnamese Goods Week at Carrefour supermarket is a continuation of the activities promoting Vietnamese goods that have been implemented over the past years, with the active coordination of the Vietnamese Trade Office in France and units under the Embassy. He said that the French side also accompanied through the participation of partners such as Carrefour, T&T Food, and many other businesses and distribution facilities. According to the Ambassador, the occasion of organizing the Vietnamese Goods Week this year is even more meaningful as it coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival and is associated with the 80th anniversary of National Day, which is an opportunity to introduce to French friends and partners the development achievements of Vietnam as well as the unique cultural and culinary features. Thereby, the French public can feel the taste, color and spirit of Vietnam right in the locality, not only in the Meuse region but also in many other areas in France.

According to the Ambassador, through this event, French friends can clearly see the characteristics and current development of Vietnam, and at the same time understand more about Vietnam's desire to gain deeper access to the French market, promote cooperation and foster friendly relations, and develop together for common interests.

Sharing with VNA reporters in France, Mr. Vu Anh Son - Commercial Counselor, Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in France - emphasized his pride in bringing the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere and quintessential Vietnamese products to the people of the Grand Est region for the first time. Today's event is not only a trade bridge but also a cultural bridge, bringing stories of warm reunion to French friends. Mr. Son believes that this is a solid first step for Vietnamese goods to conquer this potential market, opening a new chapter for economic cooperation between the two sides.

Ms. Léa Nicardette, a young customer attending the event, said that this was the first time she had known about Vietnamese products and was very interested in the newness and difference of the products. By attending the week, Ms. Nicardette had the opportunity to come into contact with another culture, to discover more about Vietnamese culture and the culture of other Asian countries, which are very different from European culture due to their own traditions and customs. She wanted to observe how people live and eat, thereby discovering the cuisine of each country. That was really interesting to her.

Ms. Héléna Savard, a French customer, shared that through the diversity of products at the event, visitors felt like they were “traveling” through cuisine to understand more about the cultures associated with the dishes and drinks they enjoyed. This is a great opportunity for the people of Verdun to welcome an event like this, at the same time helping local people have the opportunity to explore Vietnamese dishes, thereby gaining more understanding and broadening their vision of the world through enjoying new dishes.

With the message of promoting the cultural values of reunion of the Mid-Autumn Festival and introducing typical products such as moon cakes, tea, coffee, agricultural products, etc., the Vietnamese Goods Week in Verdun is expected to become a strong bridge between Vietnamese enterprises and French consumers. This is also a strategic step to expand the presence of Vietnamese goods in Europe, when Grand Est is considered a potential gateway for international trade activities.

With the attention and presence of French government leaders, businesses and consumers, the Vietnamese Goods Week in the Grand Est region promises to create a positive impression, both affirming cultural pride and promoting the competitiveness of Vietnamese products in the European market.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/khai-truong-tuan-le-hang-viet-nam-lan-dau-tien-tai-vung-dai-dong-cua-nuoc-phap-20251002075357974.htm